Book of Revelations written by John the Baptist and Co?

[_karl61]

I bought a book at Amazon: THE ANCHOR Bible - REVELATION - A NEW TRANSLATION WITH INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTARY BY J. MASSYNGBERDE FORD.

The author writes:

"1) 4-11 (chapters) emanate from the circle of John the Baptist and reflect his own and his disciples' expectation of "He that cometh" before they could be enlightened by the life of Jesus Himself;
2) 12-22 are of a later date but still originate from the disciples of the Baptist who may or may not have converted to Christianity. This section represents the view of those who predicted the Fall of Jerusalem under the Romans in A.D. 70 and ascribed this to the unorthodox behavior of their coreligionists. Such an attitude would be shared by such groups as the covenanters of Qumran and is intimated by the Baptist himself (Matt 3: 7-10), cf. John 1: 19-27) and perhaps the primitive Jerusalem church once, led by James, the "brother" of the Lord.
3) 1-3 and 22:16a, 20b, 21, were added later by a Jewish Christian disciple, perhaps one who had come to know Jesus Christ more accurately, like the disciples of the Baptist at Ephesus in Acts 19: 1-7 or the Scripture scholar Apollos in Acts 18: 24-28> they still retained the fiery and somewhat pessimistic outlook of their former master. They looked forward to disturbances and the arrival of the Son of Man with the clouds of heaven."

I still need to read the book but some points are interesting like the language is more like Ezekiel or Daniel and more like the Old Testament. The author says chapters 4-11 are definitely pre Christian with little additions which would be like the writings of Josephus received.

[_moksha]

There were so many John's back then. The Book of Revelations perhaps was written by either John of Patmos, John the Presbyter or some other John who identity has been lost to history.

[_karl61]

John the Baptist and Co ;)

4:1After these things I saw, and behold, a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, a voice as of a trumpet speaking with me, one saying, Come up hither, and I will show thee the things which must come to pass hereafter. 4:2Straightway I was in the Spirit: and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting upon the throne; 4:3and he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardius: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, like an emerald to look upon. 4:4And round about the throne were four and twenty thrones: and upon the thrones I saw four and twenty elders sitting, arrayed in white garments; and on their heads crowns of gold. 4:5And out of the throne proceed lightnings and voices and thunders. And there was seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 4:6and before the throne, as it were a sea of glass like a crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 4:7And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 4:8and the four living creatures, having each one of them six wings, are full of eyes round about and within: and they have no rest day and night, saying,

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

4:9And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever, 4:10the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

4:11Worthy art thou, our Lord and our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power: for thou didst create all things, and because of thy will they were, and were created.

5:1And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals. 5:2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a great voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 5:3And no one in the heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look thereon. 5:4And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon: 5:5and one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not; behold, the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof. 5:6And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 5:7And he came, and he taketh it out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 5:8And when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 5:9And they sing a new song, saying,

Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and didst purchase unto God with thy blood men of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, 5:10and madest them to be unto our God a kingdom and priests; and they reign upon earth.

5:11And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 5:12saying with a great voice,

Worthy is the Lamb that hath been slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might and honor, and glory, and blessing.

5:13And every created thing which is in the heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all things are in them, heard I saying,

Unto him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, be the blessing, and the honor, and the glory, and the dominion, for ever and ever.

5:14And the four living creatures said, Amen. And the elders fell down and worshipped.

6:1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. 6:2And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer. 6:3And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, Come. 6:4And another horse came forth, a red horse: and to him that sat thereon it was given to take peace from the earth, and that they should slay one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 6:5And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, Come. And I saw, and behold, a black horse; and he that sat thereon had a balance in his hand. 6:6And I heard as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, A measure of wheat for a shilling, and three measures of barley for a shilling; and the oil and the wine hurt thou not. 6:7And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come. 6:8And I saw, and behold, a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death; and Hades followed with him. And there was given unto them authority over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with famine, and with death, and by the wild beasts of the earth. 6:9And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 6:10and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 6:11And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course. 6:12And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood; 6:13and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. 6:14And the heaven was removed as a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 6:15And the kings of the earth, and the princes, and the chief captains, and the rich, and the strong, and every bondman and freeman, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; 6:16and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 6:17for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?

7:1After his I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree. 7:2And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 7:3saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 7:4And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

7:5Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand:

Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand;

7:6Of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand;

7:7Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand;

7:8Of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand;

Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

7:9After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; 7:10and they cry with a great voice, saying,

Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb.

7:11And all the angels were standing round about the throne, and about the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 7:12saying,

Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These that are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and whence came they? 7:14And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 7:15Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall spread his tabernacle over them. 7:16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat: 7:17for the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life: and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.

8:1And when he opened the seventh seal, there followed a silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. 8:2And I saw the seven angels that stand before God; and there were given unto them seven trumpets. 8:3And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 8:4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand. 8:5And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 8:6And the seven angels that had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 8:7And the first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of the earth was burnt up, and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8:8And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 8:9and there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had life; and the third part of the ships was destroyed. 8:10And the third angel sounded, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of the waters; 8:11and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter. 8:12And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine for the third part of it, and the night in like manner. 8:13And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.

9:1And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven fallen unto the earth: and there was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss. 9:2And he opened the pit of the abyss; and there went up a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 9:3And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 9:4And it was said unto them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only such men as have not the seal of God on their foreheads. 9:5And it was given them that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when it striketh a man. 9:6And in those days men shall seek death, and shall in no wise find it; and they shall desire to die, and death fleeth from them. 9:7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared for war; and upon their heads as it were crowns like unto gold, and their faces were as men's faces. 9:8And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as teeth of lions. 9:9And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to war. 9:10And they have tails like unto scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months. 9:11They have over them as king the angel of the abyss: his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue he hath the name Apollyon. 9:12The first Woe is past: behold, there come yet two Woes hereafter. 9:13And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, 9:14one saying to the sixth angel that had one trumpet, Loose the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphrates. 9:15And the four angels were loosed, that had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, that they should kill the third part of men. 9:16And the number of the armies of the horsemen was twice ten thousand times ten thousand: I heard the number of them. 9:17And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates as of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone. 9:18By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths. 9:19For the power of the horses is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails are like unto serpents, and have heads; and with them they hurt. 9:20And the rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk: 9:21and they repented not of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

10:1And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, arrayed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire; 10:2and he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left upon the earth; 10:3and he cried with a great voice, as a lion roareth: and when he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 10:4And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 10:5And the angel that I saw standing upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his right hand to heaven, 10:6and sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things that are therein, and the earth and the things that are therein, and the sea and the things that are therein, that there shall be delay no longer: 10:7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then is finished they mystery of God, according to the good tidings which he declared to his servants the prophets. 10:8And the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard it again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 10:9And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. 10:10And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. 10:11And they say unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.

11:1And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 11:2And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 11:3And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 11:4These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth. 11:5And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 11:6These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire. 11:7And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. 11:8And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 11:9And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 11:10And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth. 11:11And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them. 11:12And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 11:13And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons: and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. 11:14The second Woe is past: behold, the third Woe cometh quickly. 11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there followed great voices in heaven, and they said,

The kingdom of the world is become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ: and he shall reign for ever and ever.

11:16And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God, 11:17saying,

We give thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast; because thou hast taken thy great power, and didst reign. 11:18And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth.

11:19And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.